Denis Favier (born 18 May 1959) is a French officer known for commanding the mission to remove hijackers from Air France Flight 8969.
[1] In 1994, he commanded the assault against the Armed Islamic Group of Algeria, who had earlier taken the passengers of Air France Flight 8969 hostage.
Following this incident, he gave interviews in silhouette or facial obscurity, which he still does until today as it was believed that the co-militants of the terrorists his team killed offered a reward for his assassination.
In 2008 he joined the French forces leading the assault on the pirates who had captured the ship Ponant near Somalia.
[3] On 9 January 2015 he led the operation to arrest Chérif and Saïd Kouachi following a hostage situation in Dammartin-en-Goële.